Contract Technician - Manufacturing & Assembly

Socket.dev; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 28,000 - 41,000; Full time

Job summary

Exowatt is seeking Contract Technicians to build and support power modules end to end, including welding, fabrication, subsystem assembly, and control-box wiring. This hands-on role covers multiple disciplines with varied daily tasks in a shop environment.

You will weld MIG/TIG on carbon steel, stainless, and aluminum, fabricate components, assemble subassemblies from drawings and BOMs, and produce electrical control boxes while ensuring strict safety standards are followed.

Qualifications

• 3+ years hands-on technician, fabrication or manufacturing experience.
• MIG and/or TIG welding skill; able to pass weld test.
• Metal fabrication with shears, brakes, saws, grinders, and drill presses.
• Ability to read mechanical drawings, schematics and wiring diagrams.
• Experience wiring low-voltage control panels and terminating conductors.
• Troubleshoot rotating or pressure equipment (pumps, compressors, HVAC).
• Able to lift 50 lbs, stand long hours in a shop; legally authorized to work in the United States.

Responsibilities

• Perform MIG and TIG welding on carbon steel, stainless, and aluminum to print and to spec.
• Fabricate sheet metal and structural components - layout, cutting, forming, drilling, grinding, and finishing.
• Assemble mechanical parts and subassemblies from drawings, BOMs, and work instructions.
• Build electrical control boxes: panel layout, wire routing and termination, harness assembly, labeling, and continuity checks.
• Troubleshoot, service, and maintain shop and process equipment including vacuum pumps, chillers, compressors, and related systems.
• Use precision measuring tools (calipers, micrometers, dial indicators) to verify work.
• Document build steps, record deviations, and feed issues back to engineering.
• Follow all safety, lockout/tagout, and PPE requirements

Skills

Welding (MIG/TIG)

Fabrication

Reading drawings

Wiring low-voltage panels

Troubleshooting

Lifting 50 lbs

Authorized to work in US

Tools

Calipers

Micrometers

Dial indicators

Job description

Exowatt is revolutionizing the energy landscape for the AI era with our groundbreaking P3 system that captures solar energy, stores it as heat, and generates electricity on demand. Founded in 2023 and backed by leading investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Sam Altman, and Felicis, we're committed to providing clean, modular, and scalable power that meets the rapidly growing demands of AI infrastructure. Our mission is to make sustainable renewable energy always available and almost free, enabling technological advancement while protecting our planet.

We are hiring Contract Technicians to build and support our power modules end to end: welding and fabricating structural components, assembling mechanical subsystems, wiring control boxes, and keeping shop equipment running. This is hands‑on work across a range of disciplines. You will not be doing the same task every day.

What you will do

• Perform MIG and TIG welding on carbon steel, stainless, and aluminum to print and to spec
• Fabricate sheet metal and structural components - layout, cutting, forming, drilling, grinding, and finishing
• Assemble mechanical parts and subassemblies from drawings, BOMs, and work instructions
• Build electrical control boxes: panel layout, wire routing and termination, harness assembly, labeling, and continuity checks
• Troubleshoot, service, and maintain shop and process equipment including vacuum pumps, chillers, compressors, and related systems
• Use precision measuring tools (calipers, micrometers, dial indicators) to verify work
• Document build steps, record deviations, and feed issues back to engineering
• Follow all safety, lockout/tagout, and PPE requirements

Required qualifications

• 3+ years of hands‑on technician, fabrication, or manufacturing experience
• Demonstrated welding skill (MIG and/or TIG) with the ability to pass a weld test
• Metal fabrication experience - comfortable with shears, brakes, saws, grinders, and drill presses
• Ability to read and work from mechanical drawings, schematics, and wiring diagrams
• Experience wiring low‑voltage control panels and terminating conductors cleanly
• Practical troubleshooting experience on rotating or pressure equipment (pumps, compressors, chillers, HVAC, or similar)
• Able to lift 50 lbs, stand for extended periods, and work in a shop environment
• Legally authorized to work in the United States

Preferred qualifications

• AWS welding certification (D1.1, D17.1, or equivalent)
• Experience in energy, aerospace, industrial equipment, or a similar low-volume/high-mix build environment
• Familiarity with vacuum systems, thermal systems, or high-temperature components
• Machining experience (lathe, mill) or CNC exposure
• Experience with prototype or first-article builds where instructions are still being written
• OSHA 10 or OSHA 30
• Forklift or aerial lift certification
• Bilingual English/Spanish